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Morinyod
Morinyod Home Region: Morinyod are native the the Great Steppes that stretch across northern Iadorias from west to east, between the great mountain ranges. Political Structure: The Morinyod people live in a clan based society. Clans, led by chiefs called noyans, each owe allegiance to a tribe, ruled by a khan, who also leads his own clan. The tribes are grouped further into three hordes, the Blue, White, and Grey, each ruled by a Gürkhan, who is elected by the kurultai, or assembly, of all the khans and noyans. Subject peoples, whether nomads or settled, occupy a lower social rung, technically ranking below even the lowest Morinyod, but being valued by the khans for the resources and labor they provide for their masters. Slaves are common, with traditional, and sometimes strange, laws governing their status and treatment. Social Structure: Clan based. Morinyod live in clans which are essentially extended families, each maintaining its own tent and herd. This necessitates laws forbidding marriage within the clan, and more aggressive men and women have been known to kidnap potential spouses. Appearance and Clothing: Morinyod tend to have skin ranging from tan to swarthy, with a slight yellowish cast, dark brown or black hair, and dark eyes, though lighter eye colors exist, and are viewed as omens. Both men and women are smaller than Northerners, averaging 5’6 and 5’1 respectively, with compact, agile frames. “The” garment among the Morinyod (and their nomad subjects) is the deel, a double breasted long jacket worn in all weather and seasons. Typically made of linen or cotton, heavier leather and wool coats are worn in winter, and special ones made of silk or cashmere for formal occasions. Under the deel, Morinyod warriors wear a shirt of raw silk, favored for its durability if struck by an arrow, enabling them to draw the arrow out easily. Tall riding boots are also near universal, as are the fur lined caps worn by men and women. Demeanor: Morinyod tend to seem cold and distant around outsiders, and are slow to trust. Among their own they are friendly, warm, and generous to a fault. In battle they can be brave to the point of foolhardiness, but are at the same time unusually disciplined, and utterly obedient to their leaders. Lifestyle: Morinyod follow a nomadic pattern of life, the clans constantly moving around the plains with herds of horses, cattle, sheep, and other animals, grazing on available pasturage. Populations of subject peoples live in farming communities, providing what their masters cannot. The Morinyod priests and monks are also sedentary, living in scattered monasteries and temples that are maintained by the clans. Religion: The Morinyod are chiefly devoted to four deities. Maladûm is the god of war, death and conquest, Khutulun, the goddess of rivers and travel, and the married couple of Arud and Kol, the god of the hunt and goddess of fertility and agriculture. These four are worshipped mainly by the priestly caste, while shamans travelling with the tribes interpret the myriad of omens that determine the course of life on the steppe.